Chapter 3: Chuck brings lost puppies home… too often.
"Zack?" whispered Sephiroth, unable to believe it.
Admittedly, he was almost certain that the young man was still alive when he died... but that was five years ago. And above all... Cloud had his sword in hand in the president's office. Sephiroth... couldn't see Zack lending the sword that Angeal had left him lightly... let alone out of his presence. What had happened? He wondered, taken aback, taking a step forward... before coming to a stop when he heard a growl.
An unusually light Guard Dog walked around Zack's bed, making him blink in surprise at his presence. The animal was light gray over most of his body, only his tentacle was a little darker, like his snout and markings on his eyes, which almost gave the impression that he was crying.
"Trico, sit," ordered Caroline gently, surprising him.
And the animal immediately obeyed, obediently sitting down, but without ceasing to look at the silverette with a certain distrust. He looked at the young woman, bewildered.
"Trico?" He repeated softly, making her blush, visibly embarrassed.
"It's an animal in a video game back home," she confessed, going forward, petting the Guard Dog's head, whose tentacle moved gently, showing that he appreciated the caress.
"And how did it get here?" Asked Sephiroth, reaching a hand out to let him sniff it, memorizing his smell.
"Chuck brought him back about 4 years ago," she explained, pointing to a dog bed in the corner of the room, and the dog went to lie down obediently, keeping an eye on them. "The poor pup was extremely thin, and Chuck was pretty sure he had been used in clandestine dogs fights. Apparently he was just 6 months old when he rescued him and brought him back to the apartment, barely taking the time to have him neutered and washed."
"And he didn't attack?" Sephiroth asked as he went to sit on the armchair next to the bed, watching Zack's breath cloud the mask he was wearing.
The vision… was comforting in a way for the silver haired man because it showed that he was still alive. On the other hand... he was worried about the brunet, because how did he get here? What had happened to him during the five years he had died?
"No, strangely," admitted the young woman, snuggling against him. "I guess he was too weak for that. I've never been happier that Chuck loves rare steaks than I did that day."
Sephiroth looked at her with a mixture of horror and respect.
"Don't tell me you fed him one of his steaks?" He asked incredulously.
Caroline snickered in response, visibly fighting the laughter, clearly not wanting to wake Zack.
"Of course not. I took mine. I threw small bits of meat at him until he was right in front of me, and he took the last one from my hand. He then let me pet him... and since then, he really only obeyed me. Chuck helped me train him, but it's only me that he listens to."
Sephiroth nodded, relaxing, and turned his attention back to Zack. The boy appeared to be in good physical health, which made him worry that he was on respiratory support. And what could have happened to him that was bad enough for his SOLDIER enhancements to be unable to get him back on his feet? Leaving him seemingly unconscious in a bed?
"And what happened to Zack?" He questioned with concern, looking down at the young woman.
"Hojo," she replied with more venom in her voice than when he himself spoke of the mad scientist. "When you snap in Nibelheim… Hojo took him and Cloud."
Sephiroth took a sharp breath upon hearing this. Growing up in Hojo's hands... he could imagine what the two friends had been through while they were prisoners of him.
"What happened?" He asked softly.
And Caroline slowly began to speak, explaining to him what had happened to them. How Hojo, knowing what was going to happen, had sent Turks to take care of the town.
oOo
Hojo leaned over the boy, chuckling in a disturbing way, making the Turks imperceptibly shiver, the latter almost struggling to remain impassive. None of them liked what was going on, everyone liking the young SOLDIER, but trying to go against Hojo was the best way to find themselves in his grasp. All that was left was to hope that Zack would find a way to escape at one point or another, Tseng thought to himself, watching the young man gasp painfully on his stretcher. Cloud... wasn't in any better shape, having been impaled by Masamune. The two were currently unconscious, but alive... and Tseng didn't know what was worse. Die, or end up in Hojo's clutches?
The ringing of his PHS brought him out of his thoughts, and he snapped it open, bringing it to his ear without wasting a second.
"Katana, do you have any news?" He asked softly, taking advantage of the fact that Hojo seemed more focused on Cloud at the moment.
"Nothing, boss," was Balto's somber response. "We already couldn't find traces of her before, despite the fact that we have her first and last name, to believe that she had been designed by Minerva herself, but there, she evaporated like if she had in fact never existed. And I just don't understand how it can be possible. Even Dr. Creepy can't get someone to disappear so meticulously!"
"Keep looking," Tseng ordered softly, seeing Hojo walking towards him. "If you can do it without attracting attention... try asking the flower seller. And keep me posted."
"Roger, boss," replied his correspondent, before hanging up.
"A flower seller, mmmmh?" Hojo asked, his expression still disturbing.
"An old woman who lives in the slums and sells fake flowers," lied Tseng without a second of hesitation. "She is one of our informants in the area, and her information is generally accurate."
"I see…" said the mad scientist, visibly disinterested in the information. "And the girl? Have you found her?"
"No," replied Tseng, still impassive, barely allowing a small frown to grace his expression. "You'd think she evaporated into thin air... and no security camera saw her come out of the building. In addition, Kunzel didn't see her come out of her room either."
And since this information was true, and had been verified by Hojo himself... the latter took whatever the Turk had told him to be the truth. Giving a fit of epic proportion in the damaged Reactor, visibly furious to know that one of the experimental subjects which he most wanted to seize had vanished without a trace. Almost rivaling the... tantrum, if you could call it that, that he had done when the transmitter concealed in the young woman's contraceptive implant suddenly stopped working without warning. And she had apparently evaporated more or less at the same time, judging by what Kunzel had said. Sephiroth… as well as Zack… had apparently perceived her disappearance from the other side of the world, waking up with a start in the middle of the night, the youngest immediately calling his friend to find out what had happened to his girlfriend. And their near-panic when they learned that she had disappeared without a trace. Especially from Zack, who apparently wanted to go home right away. But Sephiroth had refused, wanting to at least finish what they came for.
Probably one of the silverette's few mistakes, Tseng thought impassively, following Veld's orders to prepare the Manor's basement to accommodate Zack and Cloud. Hojo at least had the intelligence not to threaten the Turks to end up with the two young men in Veld's presence, who wouldn't have tolerated it. The Wutaian carefully concealed certain documents that Hojo wanted him to destroy, suspecting that, if this was the case, it was that they must contain compromising information on the lunatic. The problem would be to get hold of it afterwards, he thought as he came out, breathing in the cooler air with relief. The disturbing atmosphere of the place weighed on everyone, and he had no trouble imagining the tortured cries of the poor souls who had died trapped in that place. All he hoped for... was that Zack and Cloud would not join them. Addressing a brief prayer to Leviathan to protect them, he followed his superior, boarding the helicopter by his side.
And for the next four years, Zack and Cloud alternated between long periods of unconsciousness, where they miraculously perceived nothing, and almost too short moments of awakening. But Zack sometimes wondered, in the corner of his mind that managed to remain lucid despite all the suffering they endured, if it weren't better to remain unconscious. Cloud… was reacting less and less when they emerged at the same time, he noted with concern. As if he was starting to give in under pressure. Sometimes… Zack wanted to do the same. And then an image came back to him. Caroline's terrified look, the last time he saw her. The way she watched him with Sephiroth... hugging them. As if she knew it was the last time they saw each other. For a few minutes that morning... he had considered staying. So as to not leave her alone. And then... she asked him to watch over Sephiroth. To take care of him.
And he had failed, Zack thought, feeling unconscious take hold of him again. His tears dissolving in the Mako in which he was immersed. He couldn't stop him from losing his mind and drown the village on fire and blood. Cloud... had survived and found a way to stop Sephiroth, by he didn't know what miracle... but the price had been too high for his taste. And there... Cloud wasn't even responding since a few days, even when he wasn't on drugs. Hojo's last visit saw him looking at the blond with contempt, calling him a failure and ordering that he be locked up for good. Just like Zack.
For a long time... everything was fortunately black for him. No more pain, no more guilt, nothing. And then he startled when he heard Angeal's voice, shocking him. The stern tone with which he spoke to him made almost more miracles for his failing willpower than his words... even if the latter were like slaps to his heart.
Do you pretend to be part of SOLDIER? Suddenly asked Angeal, making him suddenly open his eyes, his eyes falling on the lab... and on his mentor, who looked at him with an almost disgusted air, his wings spread and the Buster Sword in hand. You shame SOLDIER, yes! What do you think Caroline would say if she saw you like that? He questioned before turning his back to him, moving away as bubbles obscured his field of vision, deaf to his calls.
And then he found himself... outside? Under a blue sky barely crossed by white clouds, contemplating a white feather gently descending from the sky in front of him, coming to land delicately on the... ground? the water Zack was standing on anyway, like he was walking on a lake surface.
"Those wings…" murmured Zack. "I want some too."
Because it would allow me to reach Caro faster, he told himself in the corner of his mind. He had dragged things enough like that, he decided, clenching his fists. It was time for him to get out of there now... and go find his girlfriend. Even if he had to trash the whole Shinra for that! As if his will was crystallized… the scene shattered like an exploding window.
A groan escaped him as he regained consciousness, gradually realizing that he was... lying on the ground? On cold stone covered with shards of glass? It took him a few seconds to realize that he was indeed awake... and especially that he was out of his tube, as well as the fact that someone was approaching carefully. Zack immediately jumped to his feet, wobbling as a wave of vertigo passed through him, his gaze fixed on a figure in a white coat. He literally snarled towards the scientist (no question of going back into this horror! He said to himself angrily), staggering in his direction more quickly than what he should have been able to after getting out of a bath of pure Mako, and delivered a right hook without hesitation, flattening the guy to the ground. Breathing deeply, he then turned around, already walking more confidently towards the tube that contained Cloud.
The poor guy was still dressed in his infantryman uniform, and Zack grimaced, knowing that he was going to have to change it… as well as his own, he said to himself, feeling the dampness of the Mako on his clothes. Groping briefly, he quickly found the button that drained the green liquid from the tube, leaving Cloud to settle at the bottom of it like a puppet whose strings would have been cut. Grabbing his friend carefully, Zack pulled him out of his prison, laying him on the floor a little further, leaning him against a table covered with papers and other things he didn't want to know about.
Zack frowned at the unconscious scientist, wondering what to do with him. But despite all that he had experienced at the hands of the crazy people under Hojo's orders... the boy remained a gentle soul to his core. And his honor protested against the idea of killing someone in cold blood, and above all who couldn't defend himself. With a growl of annoyance, he lifted him, carrying him like a potato bag over his shoulder, and unofficially placed him in the nearest room, which apparently served as a spare library. Quickly searching the lab, he found shackles (probably used on them) and their key. Quickly tying up the lab assistant, he took care to leave the key close enough to him... while forcing him to work to get his hands on it. That way, they would gain a little time, allowing them to get ahead while their jailer struggled to free himself.
Returning to get Cloud, he lifted him up, helping him to stand up and walked slowly, realizing that if his friend was catatonic, he still had the reflex to walk. Hopefully, he could also drink alone, and Zack could feed him. Pushing the door in front of him with some difficulty, he found himself in a network of caves, causing him to groan. Fantastic, as if they didn't have enough problems like that!
With a sigh, he placed the blond on the floor, leaning him against the wall and trying to put him down comfortably. If they wanted to get out... he had to clean up the caves. And since he saw no sign of a monster near the door he had just come out of... Cloud should be reasonably safe. At least he had recovered the Buster Sword, he told himself, grabbing it, moving forward with determination.
Zack had little trouble getting rid of the monsters he encountered, these being too weak to pose any problem for a 1st Class, even if he had just spent an indefinite time immersed in Mako as well as being tortured by nutcases. Handicapped by someone in a catatonic state, however, that was another story. And that was why he was trying to clean up the area as much as possible, just to make sure they could get out without being attacked. The young man suspected that the cleverest monsters would hide after a while, and that they would quickly repopulate the caves, but as long as he got out of there unscathed with Cloud, it didn't matter.
Meticulously cleaning the area, Zack opened some doors out of curiosity... and regretting it quickly at times. Like this room filled with coffins, with one located in the center of the room that was closed. Unable to resist, especially since he could have sworn he heard regular breathing from the only closed coffin, the dark haired man approached it gently. He slowly lifted the lid, ready to let go and grab his sword if it turned out to be a mistake... before blinking in disbelief at the guy who was sleeping peacefully... in a fucking coffin! The man was half covered by his long black hair, and the blood-red cape he wore helped conceal his figure.
Yaaaaaaaaaah... Okay, well I think I'll let THIS guy sleep… thought Zack, more than slightly disturbed, delicately closing the coffin, not wanting to wake up his occupant. And I thought vampires were just a myth, he told himself as he tiptoed out of the room. Obviously not.
Zack continued on his way, demolishing the monsters with renewed vigor, his moves becoming more fluid and confident, wanting more than anything to get out of there. Between the scientific equipment which gave him the Chocobo bumps, the monsters and the vampire who was snoozing in his corner, he had more than enough of this place.
Finally, the number of monsters he could detect via his Scan Materia decreased enough to make him feel confident about more or less dragging Cloud to the exit. Returning to get the blond, he was relieved to find that he was still in the same place, and hadn't been attacked. Zack lifted him on his shoulder to go faster, wanting to get out of there at all costs, and knowing that Cloud was in no condition to protest. If he ever remembers that episode later... the black haired man would apologize to him for treating him like a potato bag. Hopefully, once outside the basement, he could orient himself… even if it seemed familiar, telling him that they hadn't moved. Going up the kind of stairs in the well, he could see that his suspicions were well founded... especially when he arrived in the mansion, and he let out a groan of despair upon seeing this. Great… back in the creepy mansion! At least it was empty now, he told himself while looking for a room without monsters.
He finally had to resolve to deal with the Dorky Faces who had taken up residence in one of them, and gently installed his friend on the bed. Quickly rummaging through the mansion, he ended up falling on his bag and Sephiroth's, thanking Minerva for the fact that they were there, even if he didn't understand why Dr Creepy had decided to keep them in a cupboard. Bringing them back to the room where he had left Cloud, he paused before deciding to change his friend. Mako's soaked clothes certainly didn't help his condition, he realized with a grimace. Changing him quickly, he couldn't help but babble continuously to try to make it less uncomfortable for him, even if the blond didn't seem to realize much. It was the intention that counted, he told himself, throwing Mako's sticky towels in the corner of the room.
Now… what to do? He wondered, changing as well. He couldn't stay there very long, he told himself, running his hand through his spiky hair wearily. But with all this fighting... he needed to rest. Rummaging through his bag, he found his PHS, which he had put away just before... Sephiroth snapped, he remembered with a lump in his throat. Closing his eyes, he pushed away the grief and guilt, taking out his PHS, opening it with a snappier gesture than necessary. Not surprisingly, he was greeted by a completely flat dead phone, and groaned in despair. Testing the lamp, he wasn't surprised to see that it didn't work either. Closing the cell, he took a deep breath, weighing his options. He could go back to the basement to charge his cell phone... but just the thought of going back to the lab made him shiver. No way. And that meant either leaving Cloud alone for hours, while his PHS recharged... or bringing him back down with him. No way either. Rubbing his face, he decided that sleeping was currently a higher priority than finding a place to charge his phone. He could survive without it... but not without sleep.
Lying in the bed next to Cloud, still catatonic, he closed his eyes, forcing himself to fall asleep. Caroline's presence… he missed her horribly, as did Sephiroth's. Struggling against tears, he ended up slipping into sleep, more easily than he would have thought.
He woke up abruptly a few hours later, suddenly straightening, gasping, looking frantically around him. Zack sighed in relief when he realized it was a nightmare, and he ran his hand over his face, trembling. They were free, they were no longer in these filthy tubes, submerged in Mako, and he intended to do everything to never return. Better die than return in the hands of Hojo, thought the black haired man, shivering. Rising, he winced, realizing that Cloud was no longer able to realize his body's needs. Eurk... And he was going to have to deal with it…
Resigned, he lifted Cloud again, supporting him to walk to the nearest bathroom. After cleaning and drying his friend and his clothes (even if he didn't have Genesis talent with Materias, he had learned a few things on the road, including how to use Fire Materia to dry his clothes faster), he dressed him and left the Manor, supporting him to walk. Fortunately, no monster attacked them on the way, and he reached Nibelheim without problem... freezing on the spot when entering the town. What the... He remembered that Sephiroth had burnt it to the ground completely!
And yet, the village stood before him as if nothing had happened, causing his stomach to sink in worry, as he reassessed the time he had spent in the hands of Dr. Creepy. Now... it was counted in months, not weeks. Maybe even more. And Caroline... may have been in Hojo's hands all this time... Clenching his fists, almost hurting himself, Zack vowed to find a way to return to Midgar... and rescue her. Even if he had to destroy Shinra in the process. No one touched his fragile and terrified girlfriend. Nobody.
Getting rid of the infantrymen who were trying to capture them was almost ridiculously easy... until Cissnei found them, when Zack had reached a nearby beach. Getting around on foot was much slower than he would have liked, and he hoped to come across some form of transportation at some point. The only thing that kept Zack from killing her... was the memory of their friendship, and the way she had helped Caroline too. The redhead… surprised him, however, by giving him the keys to her own bike, assuring him that it wasn't equipped with a tracker. But when Zack asked her if the Turks had anything to do with Caroline's disappearance... all Cissnei could tell him was that, as far as she knew, they had nothing to do with it. And despite all their efforts... they could never find any trace of her. The fact that she... lied to Tseng, however, surprised and touched him somewhere, although he wasn't entirely certain that he believed her.
Zack decided to take the risk of trusting her, and looked for the young woman's bike. The sidecar confused him because he didn't understand why it was there, but he decided to not question his good fortune. Installing Cloud in it, he roared the engine, fleeing Nibelheim as quickly as possible.
The months that followed... were honestly among the worst in his life, even if less than when he was Hojo's prisoner. Taking care of Cloud... was easier than he would have thought, although taking care of him like a baby wasn't really his idea of freedom. But there was even less question of him leaving him behind. On the other hand, if Genesis could let go, that would suit him! Zack quickly lost the number of times he had to kick his ass to leave them alone... until he went to Banora. After bashing his ideas back in place with his sword to the face... twice in a row... Zack could see that he seemed to have recovered his sanity, if he judged by the fact that he had regretted his actions towards Caroline. It still has taken you all this time to recognize that you had acted like an asshole towards her, you dumbass, Zack thought with exasperation, having brought Genesis to the surface almost reluctantly. Also taking Rapier with him, not wanting to hear the redhead whining because he had left his beloved weapon in this cave.
The deaths of Lazard and the canine copy of Angeal... grieved him, to be honest. He suspected that given their condition... it was only a matter of time before it happened, but... it was still hard for him. But the worst part... was the letter the dog copy carried. It was written by Aerith… and revealed to him that he had spent even more time than he thought in Hojo's hands. Four years. They had been tortured for four years. And Zack dared not imagine what Caroline had been through during that time. Because Aerith... hadn't seen her since their last meeting either, just before the mission to Nibelheim. And she was worried about both of them. Saying that she didn't believe in his death, which had been announced on television... but that since her letters remained unanswered, there may have been some truth in it. And that all she hoped for... was that he was with Caroline. Wherever they are. And if he ever needed help... her house was open to him. Without questions or conditions.
This last part had made Zack hesitate, who had looked in Cloud's direction. Part of him was reluctant to accept her offer, primarily because they were fugitives, and he didn't want to endanger her. The rest... was tired of running away. And he couldn't deny that Cloud needed help. Hopefully... playing mercenaries in Midgar would be no more dangerous than being on the run. All he hoped for... was that she would know someone who could help his friend. His decision made, he lifted Cloud onto his shoulder, nodding one last time to Genesis before leaving without looking back.
The next few days saw him head straight for Midgar, barely hiding and traveling mostly at night... until the bike Cissnei had loaned him broke down in the desolate expanse around Midgar. Zack couldn't help but kick it and call the device names in frustration. It had transported them so far, all that to die now? Now they had to get around on foot, with all the dangers that it posed, especially in the desolate expanses. Reluctantly, Zack resolved to hitchhike. It wasn't like he had a lot to choose from, anyway. Especially with the state Cloud was in. The latter being still catatonic, he was about as capable of defending himself as a Mog plush.
Fortunately for them, an elderly man who was passing by with his truck immediately took them. He had apparently not recognized Zack, which suited him perfectly, and was as talkative as he was friendly, soothing Zack's heart. He hadn't... realized how much he missed human contact, he thought with a twinge of heart. Cloud… unfortunately didn't count in his state. He could have talked to a giant Moogle plush… it would have been the same. And the few rare meetings with Cissnei or Lazard's presence didn't really count. Because Cissnei couldn't help them as openly as she visibly wanted, otherwise she would endanger herself too. And Lazard... had been dying.
Zack had joked with their driver for a good part of the trip, pausing at times to speak to Cloud, as he did regularly, in the hope that it would help the blond get out of his Mako poisoning. So far... it has had no effect, but the black haired man didn't despair of ever getting there.
Except that, obviously, their good fortune had a limit. Fleeing for almost a year had sharpened his instincts, and that was the only thing that had kept him from being shot in the head. Their driver had shouted in surprise, swearing profusely as his truck found itself caught in a rain of bullets. Zack yelled at him to stop, not wanting to get this poor man in trouble, whose only fault had been to help them, simply because he could. Rushing out of the truck, he hid Cloud in a corner of the field while the machine restarted, throwing sprays of pebbles and dust. Setting the blond as best he could, he ruffled his hair with a slightly tense smile, suspecting that it was probably the end of their flight. Breathing deeply, he came out of the small ravine, missing Cloud's reaction, who reached out weakly in his direction, starting to emerge from his catatonic state.
He was greeted by the click of the rifles that the infantrymen were cocking, all pointed in his direction as he came to stand before them, hands on his hips, those who were armed with a sword also raising it, preparing themselves. Zack shook his head with a certain weariness, easily counting nearly 200 men in front of him. They had definitely gone all out in the hope of getting a hold of them. Too bad he didn't mean for them to be caught alive, he told himself with an inaudible sigh.
"Well... the price of freedom is expensive indeed," said Zack softly, shaking his head.
Slowly taking hold of the Buster Sword, he brought it before him, holding it in a sort of salute, pressing his forehead against the blade in silent prayer. Gently, he repeated Angeal's so familiar words, paying him a final tribute.
"Live your dreams," he began in a low voice. "And whatever happens, always protect your honor as SOLDIER," he finished, lowering the blade, before rushing forward with a battle cry. "You're gonna feel it!" He shouted, rushing towards the infantrymen.
Zack plunged into the infantrymen's ranks without hesitation, causing the men to fly with cries of pain, forcing himself to block their cries of agony each time his sword struck a mortal blow, plunging from right and left to try dodging bullets, and gritting his teeth when he got hit. Regularly swallowing Potions or Elixirs for healing, hoping to last as long as possible, until they run out of manpower, hoping that they don't receive reinforcement during this time.
Zack… quickly lost track of time. His memories were soon starting to blur due to fatigue and blood loss, the slightest movement made painful by the bullets lodged in his flesh. And since the infantrymen were all dressed identically... he couldn't take into account how many he had killed so far, the oldest bodies having already returned to the Lifestream. In a corner of his mind, he had fully understood the infantrymen's tactics. Having it to wear him down... was the only way to defeat him, which can hardly be done by brute force.
Zack… didn't plan on satisfying them, but he was more than smart enough to know that unless he left Cloud behind, there was every chance that they would win. And hunger didn't help matters. He had done his best to feed them with what he could hunt (or rummage through the trash, at one point he had ended up throwing out his pride, too hungry, and it was crazy all you could find in people's garbage cans and which was still consumable), but it was never enough for two 1st Class SOLDIERS, even if Cloud really wasn't one. Considering the few memories Zack had of Dr. Creepy experiments, however, he wouldn't have been surprised if the Chocobo was his level or near it now.
A brief pause in the fight saw him gasping, catching his breath and swallowing the last Elixir he had on him. Zack… was aware that this would certainly be the last fight, but he didn't intend to give up. Rather die standing, sword in hand, than on your knees, letting yourself be riddled with bullets without resisting.
"Surrender or die!" Shouted one of the troopers, probably one of the officers since he had stayed behind the lines. "Shinra may have mercy on you if you surrender yourself!"
Zack couldn't help laughing in response, the sound bitter and harsh. There were no longer traces of the SOLDIER Golden Boy in him, too many years spent in Hojo's hands, even if he didn't remember everything. The only reason he could still stand, despite his trembling legs, was the hope of seeing Caroline again. The worried and terrified face that floated at the edge of his mind was now all he could get a hold of, Sephiroth, Angeal, Aerith and Cloud barely present in the background. Cloud… literally was, still plunged into a slobbering stupor, unable to defend himself, and the young man was planning to make sure that if they wanted to reach him, they would have to run over him.
"Still as cliché I see," he replied hoarsely. "You want a classic? Here's another one: GO FUCK YOURSELVES!" He roared, rushing forward, ignoring the pain of the bullets piercing his body.
Zack managed to deal with much of the last wave of infantrymen before his legs betrayed him, and he collapsed to the ground, unable to move. Struggling to even breathe, gasping from pain, he could only watch the infantrymen approach him, their weapons pointed at his broken body. Gritting his teeth, he tried to move, wanting to get up to defend himself, but after hours of fighting, taking dozens of bullets, his body had finally reached its limit. He looked defiantly at the closest infantryman, despite his narrowing eyesight, refusing to beg as one of them raised his gun... firing one last bullet. The gesture was more spitful than anything, Zack knew, because he couldn't even fight anymore.
"Oy, the other one is here!" One of the men exclaimed, the sound giving the impression of resounding in a tunnel for Zack.
"He's completely drugged on Mako," added another in a disgusted tone. "A real vegetable, we will get nothing of him."
"Do you think he can move?" Asked the first.
Zack was battling unconsciousness, praying that they would spare Cloud. He vaguely heard the second scoff.
"In the state he's in? We'll see a Mandrake breaking sprint records before he can move a finger. We have plenty of time to go report to Dr. Creepy and come back in no hurry, he will go nowhere."
"And the other?"
"He's dying, and good for him," growled the voice, becoming more and more distant. "Have you seen the carnage he did?"
"Because you are going to tell me that you would have done differently?" Asked the first, giving the impression of walking away.
Very quickly, Zack couldn't even hear them any more, the latter moving out of his hearing range, even sharper than that of an ordinary human. For a few minutes, he was only aware of his painful breathing, the cool wind rising, and the pain that ran through his body. He could see the darkening sky above him, announcing the rain. And very quickly, the latter began to fall, cooling his exhausted body.
Sorry Caro… he thought with sorrow. Looks like... I won't be able to come and rescue you.
oOo
Far away, busy with her flowers in her church, Aerith suddenly stood up as the rain began to fall, feeling that something was happening. Raising her hands and crossing them on her chest, she began to pray for Zack to get out of it. She had been able to see... possibilities, every time he came to see her with Caroline. In another life... it was with her that he would have been in a relationship. Here... she could see that Zack loved Caroline with all his heart and with all his soul, and vice versa. She could see that the bond that united them was as solid as the one that could have united them, and if part of herself was sad at this missed opportunity... the rest just wanted to see them happy. Because the young man had become a big brother to her, treating her like a little sister. A sad tear ran down her cheek as she thought of him. It was impossible to hate Zack, she had quickly realized. And very easy to love him.
Raising her head, she prayed that he would stay alive long enough for someone to come and save him. He doesn't deserve to die now, she begged softly. Please... make it so he lives.
oOo
Zack blinked weakly as the rain fell on his face, too weak to do more. His hand still held his sword tightly, but he couldn't even lift it anymore. A noise suddenly caught his attention, and he tried to move his head to see what it was, without effect. All he hoped for... was that if it were a monster, it wouldn't be hungry.
Finally, a spiky blond head entered his field of vision, and a faint smile stretched his lips. It would have taken you a long time to emerge, Spike, Zack thought with exasperated affection. Well, better late than never, as the proverb says, right?
Of course, the blond couldn't hear his thoughts, and his expression was still very vague, obviously not fully recovered from his poisoning, but he seemed to be coherent enough to recognize him. Zack let out a groan of pain as he began to bring the Buster Sword toward him, speaking as he gathered his last strength.
"For… the two of us…" he began weakly, Cloud repeating his words in confusion. "Yes.. you.. must…"
"I... must…?"
Gathering his strength, the black haired man raised his free hand, grabbing Cloud's head and pressing it against his bloody chest, struggling to pass on his last words.
"Live," he let out weakly. "You will be... my living heritage."
His hand fell to the ground as his strength left him, and he concentrated the little energy he had left in his right arm, bringing the Buster Sword toward him, pinning it against Cloud.
"My honor and dreams... They are for you now," he said softly with a last painful smile as his friend grabbed the hilt of the sword.
Cloud repeated Zack's words softly, his gaze becoming less vague. The black haired man smiled weakly at his friend, sinking gently into unconsciousness, ignoring that Cloud was mourning his death, not seeing that he was still breathing, just too weakly for him to be able to see it. The latter remained a few more minutes near his friend, whining in sorrow, before getting up slowly, thanking him and wishing him to rest in peace, then moving away slowly, dragging the Buster Sword in the mud that had formed with the rain. He wasn't progressing very quickly, but enough to be out of sight when the last person who was supposed to be there reached Zack.
oOo
Chuck swore particularly rudely when he finally found Zack, lying on the cliff. Crouching down next to the boy, he immediately took his pulse, and let out a sigh of relief when he saw that the Puppy was still alive... even if in poor shape. Immediately taking out a first aid kit, he hastened to bandage the young man's wounds as best he could, not daring to use magic. He had stumbled upon many vials of Potions and Elixirs on the way, showing that Zack had probably been abusing them to try to survive. And the kid had done well, he thought to himself as he gazed at the battlefield, the earth soaked in blood and covered with weapons showing that he hadn't given up. On the other hand, no traces of Cloud. Once the wounds were dressed as best he could, Chuck stood up and looked around, trying to find the blond. A groan escaped him when he saw that the youngster was nowhere in sight... and he had no time to go looking for him.
Turning away, he approached the infantrymen who were coming in his direction, and who froze when they saw him, the little face visible under their mask turning drastically pale. The old SOLDIER growled at them like an angry dragon, in a very bad mood.
"Can you explain to me what you're doing there?" He snarled, furious. "And what were you planning to do with Fair?"
"The orders…" began one of the men, swallowing nervously, before going silent with a terrified squeak when Chuck literally roared at them.
"ARE YOU GOING TO TELL ME THAT YOU ARE TOO FUCKING STUPID TO ACCEPT TO DISOBEY TOTALLY MORONIC ORDERS? YOU WERE HOW MUCH AGAINST FAIR DAMN IT? 50? 100? 200? MORE? HOW MANY OF YOU DIED STUPIDLY TO CAPTURE THE PUPPY? TO RETURN HIM TO HIS TORTURER?"
"Hojo…" tried to shyly say a second infantryman, before being cut by a pissed Chuck.
"ON THE LATEST NEWS, THIS SON OF A ZENENE DOESN'T COMMAND THE ARMY! AND IF HE HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE FACT THAT I'M TAKING FAIR WITH ME, HE CAN COME TELL ME IN MY FACE!"
The mad scientist was right behind the infantrymen, just hidden by the rocks, and he immediately backed away when he heard Lieutenant Nokia roar over them. Hojo was on the verge of pissing himself at hearing him yell angrily, and decided that retrieving the body of one of his specimens wasn't worth braving an angry dragon. And too bad for the other if he succumbed in the desolate wasteland, at least it wouldn't be his fault. He'll need to wait for Nokia to get away from the area, the old SOLDIER, one of the very first to have been enhanced, wasn't to be taken lightly, despite his age. And here, anyone could see that he was on the verge of pulling out his sword and starts swinging. He was just that pissed, and only a moron would have insisted any longer. And the infantrymen weren't stupid enough for that, as they proved it by turning tails and dispersing, returning from where they came from as fast as their legs could carry them. There were rumors that This guy was taking bullets rain showers, finding it to be a very good skin scrub. No one knew if it was true or who started the rumor for the first time... but none of them wanted to find out if it was true. Hojo followed suit at a slower pace, but with the same spirit.
After a final growl in their direction, Chuck leaned over Zack, lifting him very gently in his arms. It would have been easier to carry him on his shoulder or on his back, but it would make his injuries worse. The old warrior paused when he heard the boy's whimper of pain, despite his unconsciousness, the sound so faint that it would have been inaudible at even a meter, despite his SOLDIER's senses. His expression softened, even if the young man couldn't see it.
"I got you, kid, I got you," he said in his usual gruff way. "Everything will be alright now, I promise."
Zack had no reaction, unconscious, but Chuck hoped his subconscious had heard it. Resuming his way, he couldn't help but fume with rage at the Puppy's state. The boy... was too light for his own good, and it was clear that he hadn't eaten properly for months, if not more. And he doubted that Hojo's assistants had given him enough to eat to meet his 1st Class metabolism. The few monsters they encountered immediately turned tails when they saw him, or flattened themselves to the ground, terrified by his almost visible aura around him, creating heat waves in the air. Even the Kalm Fangs submitted while whining at seeing him, showing their belly without hesitation when seeing him pass, Chuck ignoring them.
After a good hour's walk, he finally reached his vehicle, a small truck sufficient to transport two or three people if someone was ready to get behind. Moving the blankets he had brought with him in anticipation, the old SOLDIER installed Zack in the back, wedging him as best as possible and covering him delicately with one of them. Starting the truck, he immediately headed for Midgar, doing his best to avoid the potholes, so as to not shake his injured passenger too much. He had also taken care to take the truck with the best possible shock absorbers, but with the condition of the terrain in these desolate areas... it didn't change much. And he couldn't take too long, or the poor kid might die for good. It was a delicate balance between the need for speed and the need to not make Zack's injuries worse, and not one that he mastered terribly well.
At the end of what seemed to him an eternity, he finally reached a real road, and accelerated with a sigh of relief. Taking out his PHS now that he could focus on something other than his driving, he dialed the number of the only doctor still having a conscience in Shinra. And the only one who was able to flip Hojo off without a second consideration, his sarcasm and his uncompromising side concerning the health of his patients causing the Turks to refuse to have him "disappear" on the President's order (probably influenced by Hojo), and making him the official physician of the Turks. He was also too headstrong to resign, and the Turks almost venerated him for that. Hojo had regular fits because he couldn't get House out of the Tower, or make Chuck land in his territory. The SOLDIER was too cunning to find himself injured enough to have to seek medical help. But there, with the state of young Fair, he was lucid enough to know that he couldn't cure him himself.
oOo
Chuck sat on his couch with a weary sigh, rubbing his face. The good news... was that no one had seen him go with the puppy into his apartment, where House was waiting for him with all the equipment necessary to care for the kid, and two trusted assistants. Convincing Caroline to accompany him out of the room had taken him more time than he would have liked, the young woman was in tears at the state of her boyfriend. He had resolved to let her cry on his shoulder while he tried to console her, even though he was pretty sure half her tears were due to the relief to see Zack alive. Even if he was in poor shape. Right now... no one, except Hojo and a few infantrymen, had to know about his survival. And he doubted that the soldiers would dare to spread rumors among themselves, after the head tearing he had passed them. And Hojo certainly wouldn't want to spread the word about the kid's survival, because if he was questioned… half the SOLDIER, at the very least, would revolt, not to mention the Turks. Zack… was appreciated by everyone, and the Turks also adored his girlfriend, the young woman having offered them coffee without a second thought, and without asking anything in return. He had always wondered if she had done it on purpose... but thought it was not interesting enough to ask the question. And then the only consequence was that the Turks had fervently protected her. So he didn't cared much about it.
Thinking about Zack rekindles Chuck's anger. When House had left... he had told him about the puppy's condition, and boy had the old SOLDIER been on the verge of going to smash Hojo's face in, not counting the surviving infantrymen. The doctor had extracted nearly 100 bullets from the boy's body. And that was without counting the state of malnutrition in which he was in, House estimated that his last real meal, a meal adapted to a 1st Class, should go back to about 5 years.
Letting out a sigh, he massaged his temples, deciding that he would continue doing it day by day, as he had done for almost 5 years. So far... it hadn't been that bad for him.
During the next two months, the only visits allowed to his apartment were those of House or one of his assistants, who came there to take care of Zack, washing him and taking care of changing the dressings or the bags that fed him/collected his waste. Caroline refused to leave his bedside, fearing that it was only a dream, and that she would wake up one morning to see that he had disappeared. Chuck had installed a second bed in the bedroom, understanding her feelings, and allowing her to sleep in the same room as her boyfriend.
As a result, the young woman was the first to see Zack wake up. She was wiping his face, her companion sweating like it happened to him at times, silently crying because she hadn't been able to save him before. She had just closed her eyes to wipe away her tears, her hand still resting on her boyfriend's cheek, so she missed his eyelids quivering, before opening slowly, his eyes looking lost, moving slowly from right to right left, disoriented. Then they landed on his girlfriend, and he lost his breath for a second or two. Despite the medical equipment he could vaguely hear around him... he wasn't really worried. Because the place he was in... didn't look like a lab. More like an apartment… and most of all… Caroline seemed upset. Not worried. Despite everything, he could only let out a lost whine, too weak to do more.
It was enough, however, for the young woman to realize that he had woken up, and she suddenly turned her head, staring at him in shock.
"Zack?" She whispered softly, staring at him with big eyes.
The boy could only nod weakly, vaguely feeling his heart tighten as he saw the tears start running down her cheeks anew.
"Oh, Zack…" she moaned softly, crying for good, hugging her boyfriend as best as she could with him lying in a bed, and too weak to straighten up.
Despite his state of weakness, Zack forced himself to raise an arm to put it around her, crying silently too. He didn't have the strength to rub her back to comfort her, however, but just feeling her against him reassured him. He had finally found her... and he had no intention of abandoning her again, he promised himself. Never again, Zack swore to himself, feeling her tears soaking his t-shirt.
oOo
"And that's what happened to Zack, as far as I know," Caroline finished gently, her head resting against Sephiroth's chest.
The silverette was torn between anger at what had happened to Zack... and a certain admiration for his resourceness and his obstinacy. Dodging Shinra for almost a year... was worthy of respect, he thought. But the idea that he had been in Hojo's hands for almost four years through his own fault... filled him with guilt.
"I'm sorry…" he sighed softly, looking at the sleeping man with sorrow.
Caroline looked up, puzzled.
"Why?" She asked without understanding.
"If I hadn't lost my mind... and attacked Nibelheim... Zack wouldn't have ended up in Hojo's hands," he said, unable to hold back his bitterness.
Caroline's flat look surprised him.
"Seriously, Seph, do you really intend to blame yourself for things that were beyond your control?" She asked softly, straightening up.
He looked at her without understanding.
"What do you mean?" He asked, bewildered.
"Seph," she sighed with slight annoyance. "Did you order Hojo to send you to Nibelheim? To read the papers you found in the mansion? To make you attack the city and Zack? Did you order Hojo to capture Zack and Cloud when they couldn't defend themselves and torture them for four years? Or to pursue them after their escape? To cripple Zack with bullets when he finally arrived in Midgar?"
And Sephiroth could only shake his head at her tirade. No, he hadn't ordered any of this. And if he had been in his normal state of mind... he never would have done that. He gently hugged Caroline with a weary sigh, the latter snuggling against him with her own tired sigh.
"I'm not saying that your actions are excusable, despite everything," she added wearily. "But what happened to Cloud and Zack? No, it's not your fault."
The silverette looked up when he heard the door open, relaxing when he saw that it was only Chuck, probably coming to see what they were doing. The latter approached the bed, watching Zack sleep peacefully for a few moments, before shaking his head, looking at them.
"You should go to sleep, kids," he said softly. "Fair is fine, and since he woke up today, even briefly, he should wake up completely tomorrow from what House said. He won't be able to do much for a few days, but he will stay awake most of the day now."
They all turned their heads towards the boy, however, hearing him mumble something in his sleep, which looked suspiciously like "No, Gen, I'm not giving you my blood or Cloud's..." for the two SOLDIERS. Sephiroth let out a long weary sigh at hearing that.
"Why do I feel like Genesis was doing shits again during this time?" He asked tiredly.
Caroline let out a sarcastic snort as she stood up, gently grabbing the silverette's hand to get him to stand up. The latter followed with no resistance, refusing to let go for more than a few moments if he had a choice.
"When does this pyromaniac asshole not doing shits?" She asked, not without humor, leading him to the bathroom.
It still took her a few minutes to convince him to let go of her long enough for her to go to the bathroom alone, and Sephiroth immediately took her back in his arms when he did the same. He was reassured to see that she was still there when he came out, but the concern he had felt in losing sight of her for even a few minutes... was almost suffocating, even if part of him insisted that it was illogical. Admittedly, he knew that fear wasn't always logical... but at that moment he was struggling to fight it. A weak smile escaped him when Caroline handed him one of his own t-shirts, sheepishly admitting to having recovered some of his belongings, explaining that sleeping with his t-shirts... or Zack's... had comforted her more than once. And Sephiroth was unable to hold it against her for that.
Slipping into the bed with a sigh, he hugged the young woman against him, the latter clinging to him too, shivering. Caressing her back gently as he often did when they slept together, he slipped into sleep without really noticing. Relieved to know that two of the people he cared about most were there... and that they were doing pretty well, Zack slowly recovering from his injuries. Promising himself to do his best so that they will never be harmed again.
To be continued…
And that's what happened on Zack's side.
Concerning Caroline… it will be in the next chapter.